Cuticle pusher



June 27, 1950 ROGERS 2,513,208

CUTICLE PUSHER Filed Aug. 13, 1948 Patented June 27, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CUTICLE PUSHER Laura A. Rogers, Cambridge, Mass.

Application August 13, 1948, Serial No. 44,137

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in manicuring tools which are held in the hand when in use, and more particularly to a cuticle pusher. In practicing the art of manicuring, it is usually necessary to push back the cuticle which adheres to the nail at the root thereof and is carried with the nail as the nail grows out. Cuticle pushers usually consist of a rod or stick having a small dull blade at an end thereof to be pushed against the extended film of cuticle near the root of the nail. The tool is held between the thumb and first two fingers, but as the shank of the tool is small, the fingers are apt to become cramped and to slip toward the blade when the tool is in use. According to the invention, the tool is shaped with grip portion near the blade, the grip portion being shaped to accommodate the thumb and fingers comfortably and to avoid slipping of the fingers toward the blade.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description thereof, and to the drawing, of which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a tool embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is a perspectwe view showing the tool in use;

Figure 4 is a perspective view from another angle, showing how the tool is gripped; and

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view of the grip portion of the tool.

The tool illustrated on the drawing may be made in one piece of any suitable material, such as metal, wood, a molded synthetic resin, or the like. As shown, the tool ha an elongated shank III at one end of which is a dull blade 12 of suitable size and shape for pushing cuticle on fingernails. Adjacent to the blade is an enlarged portion M of the shank, this portion being both wider and thicker than the remainder of the shank. The top of the widened portion I4 is formed with a longitudinal depression or concavity l6 in the form of a trough, the sides and ends of which curve upward from the central maximum depth. Thi trough extends substantially from end to end and from side to side of the widened portion of the shank and is adapted to receive the pad of the forefinger l8 of the operator's hand 20 when the tool is gripped for use. As the forefinger is largely instrumental in imparting a thrust to the tool, the depression I6 is of substantial depth to provide a better pur- 2 chase for the forefinger and to prevent slipping of the finger toward the blade end.

When the tool is in use, the side faces of the widened portion 14 are engaged by the thumb 22 and second finger 24 of the operators hand. To make a more satisfactory grip, the width of the portion I4 is tapered downward, as indicated in Figure 5, and the side faces are provided with shallow concavities 26 and 28, respectively, for the thumb and second finger. The enlarged portion I4 is tapered forward in height so as to provide sufficient height at the rear portion thereof for the recesses 26 and 28 which accommodate the thumb and second finger, and also, to provide minimum height at the forward end so that it will not unduly interfere with the fingers on which the implement is used. By using a cuticle pusher with a grip portion, as described, fatigue of the operator is materially reduced and the bother of having to readjust the position of the tool in the hand during use is avoided.

I claim:

A manicuring tool having an elongated shank with a manicuring implement at the forward end thereof, said shank having an enlarged portion adjacent to said implement for a finger grip, said enlarged portion tapering downward in width from a maximum width at the top thereof and tapering forward in height from a maximum height at the rear end of the enlarged portion, the top face of said enlarged portion having a longitudinal concavity extending substantially the full length thereof and a U-shaped ridge extending around the forward and side edges of said. top face, the side faces of said enlarged portion each having a shallow recess therein.

LAURA A. ROGERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D.118,0'73 Gower Dec. 12, 1939 D.143,569 Wemyss Jan. 15, 1946 1,367,974 Ivory Feb. 8, 1921 2,236,034 Luce et al. Mar. 25, 1941 2,304,319 Saltzman Dec. 8, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number 1 Country Date 543,897 Germany Oct. 2, 1930 

